Don't Sleep On Jalen Williams
Image via Leaguefits IG
This past week, Orlando Magic phenom Paulo Banchero received 494 total votes to crown him as the 2023 Rookie of The Year. This was no surprise but Oklahoma City Thunder wing , Jalen Williams finished second with 75 second-place votes and 16 third-place votes for a total of 241 total voting points. The young star averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 75 games. So why does this matter? OKC has a very promising future with likely the youngest roster in the NBA with SGA, Williams, Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren (who is expected coming back next season).
The Thunder finished second in two other categories: Most Improved Player of the Year (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), and Coach of the Year (Mark Daigneault). But in general this is a very encouraging moment for the Thunder as a new big 3 is slowly being molded for the long term. This will be a team to watch next year.